I Tried 5 Different Sunscreens To See Which Would Stay On My Sweaty Face, And Here’s The Best One

Running outside may improve heart health and ward off stress, but it's not so great for your skin. A study published in the Archives of Dermatology found that long-distance runners who logged miles outdoors were at higher risk of contracting skin cancer than non-runners. But finding a product that stays on, doesn't drip in your eyes, and doesn't cause a massive eruption of acne can feel like an expensive experiment in futility.

To uncover the sunscreens that are actually worth buying (always leave these 6 sunscreens on the shelf), I laced up my sneakers and put five peer- and dermatologist-recommended sweat-resistant facial sunscreens to the test in the hot southern sun. Here's how they all stacked up—ranked from my least favorite to my first choice. (Want to pick up some healthier habits? Sign up to get healthy living tips, fitness inspiration, and more delivered straight to your inbox!)

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Neutrogena Sport Face SPF 70+

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The good: It's available almost anywhere, is water resistant for 80 minutes, and offers both UVA and UVB protection. (Very few formulas shield skin from both types of rays, so this is a plus.) It felt very lightweight and rubbed in quickly, with no gross residue.

The bad: I used this before a run, and it stayed in place and felt breathable during my interval workout. All good, right? Not so much. I came home and put on another layer before heading out to work in the garden. That was a mistake. It burned the thin skin below my eyes and gave me a rash. It went away after a day or two but was an unpleasant experience. This is a chemical-based sunscreen, so users with sensitive skin should be aware that it might cause a reaction. “This product contains oxybenzone, a type of benzophenone that’s notorious for causing allergic and photoallergic reactions,” says Cynthia Bailey, MD, a California-based dermatologist. “Avobenzone, another ingredient in this bottle can be problematic, too.”

The nitty-gritty: If I forgot my sunscreen before a workout, I wouldn't hesitate to stop by a drugstore and pick a tube up. I just wouldn't put on more than one coat, which would severely limit how much time I could spend outside.

The good: This sunblock adhered to my skin better than anything else I tried. I literally had to scrub it off in the shower after a long, hot run. Its sole active ingredient is zinc oxide, which Bailey says doesn't break down in the heat and blocks damaging UVA and UVB rays supremely. The subtle tint is a nice touch; I looked like I had a great tan as I headed out the door. (If you like to use real self-tanners, be sure to avoid these 10 awkward self-tanning mistakes everyone makes.)

The bad: This stuff is sticky. It felt a bit like wearing a layer of pancake batter on my face, and the feeling didn't fade after a few minutes as I hoped it would. We have a lot of gnats where I live, and I actually had trouble with them flying into my face and sticking in my sunscreen, which is gross. If you're going to be running anywhere buggy, this is not the sunscreen for you.

The nitty-gritty: If all you care about is maximum protection and minimal chemicals, this is your best bet. You'll get mega protection that lasts for 80 minutes even in wet conditions, and the product's tint will give you the appearance of a summer glow.

The good: This sunscreen felt like a light moisturizer, not a greasy, gooey mess like so many others I've used before. I put it on and then promptly forgot I was wearing it. That's a win in my book. The scent is faint to non-existent, which is a bonus.

The bad: Sunscreens can be chemical or mineral based. Bailey prefers mineral sunscreens because they don't irritate the skin and are less prone to breaking down in the sun (read more about the difference here). This product, however, is a chemical-based sunscreen. Even so, it didn't make me break out, and I didn't have issues with it running into my eyes and causing that whole eyes-on-fire sensation.

The nitty-gritty: It has broad-spectrum protection (meaning it protects against UVA and UVB rays) and is water resistant for 40 minutes. It's free of artificial colors, fragrances, and parabens, which is a plus for those who are sensitive to them.

The good: This lightweight mineral sunblock is made with a mix of titanium and zinc oxide. It dried very quickly, though it did leave a touch of a chalky white residue. It's fragrance-free, and it stayed out of my eyes even though I was running timed mile-long intervals on a hot track. When I reapplied, it went onto my sweaty face easily and didn't irritate my skin.

The bad: It made me look somewhat ashen, and it's only rated for 40 minutes of wet wear, so you'd need to reapply relatively frequently if you were doing a particularly sweaty or long workout.

The good: This is a mineral-based sunscreen, and when I accidentally rubbed my eye right after putting it on, I felt nothing—no stinging, no tears, nada. It felt sticky for a moment or two as it bound to my skin, but it dried quickly, and I soon forgot I was wearing it. It’s unscented and water resistant for 80 minutes, so I got in a 10-mile run before needing to reapply.

The bad: Bailey likes to see zinc oxide as the first ingredient in a mineral sunscreen since it “blocks better across the UV spectrum than titanium.” This one lists titanium first, and then zinc, but it does use both, so it still provides good protection. It did tint my face just a touch white, but I’m a sweaty mess when I run, so looking slightly pastier than normal was the least of my concerns.

The nitty-gritty: This product is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. The Environmental Working Group, a non-governmental organization that rates the safety of cosmetics, gives it their stamp of approval, which is definitely a plus.

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